Elder Ladon's face turned livid, the veins at his temples throbbing violently. He could feel a stinging pain from the skin on his neck.
He forced the words out through clenched teeth. "You... what exactly do you want?"
"Simple." Cipher cocked her head, speaking as casually as if she were buying groceries at a market.
"One hundred coins, and the intelligence is yours. Cash on delivery."
"That price isn't expensive, is it?"
She paused, as though recalling something, then added:
"Of course, since this is our first time working together, I can throw in some of our Chancellor's 'little hobbies' or 'little secrets' as bonus intelligence. Things like what flavor of snacks he likes. Absolutely worth the price."
Elder Ladon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, there was nothing left but humiliation and compromise. He practically ground out the words through his molars:
"...Pay her."
A young commander standing nearby had reluctance written all over his face.
Still, he helplessly fished a silver-glinting steel coin from the pouch at his waist and tossed it to Cipher.
Cipher deftly reached out and caught the coin with precision. She flicked it on her fingertip and, only after hearing its crisp ring, tucked it into her pocket with satisfaction.
"Pleasure doing business~" She smiled as though she had just closed a major deal, even kindly helping Elder Ladon straighten the collar of his cloak, which had been wrinkled from his earlier tension.
Then, beneath everyone's fiery glares, she leisurely backed toward the tent exit step by step, as if taking a stroll through her own backyard.
"As for the intelligence on Huanzi, I'll tell you now—"
She drew out the words, then shouted just as she was about to slip past the tent flap:
"He isn't